Infant botulism: Why is honey a concern?

Is it true that honey can cause infant botulism?

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Answer

Yes, honey can cause infant botulism. Honey is a known source of bacterial spores that produce Clostridium botulinum bacteria. When ingested by infants, these bacteria make a toxin that can cause infant botulism, a rare and serious form of food poisoning. For this reason, infants under 12 months of age should never be fed honey.

Infant botulism affects a baby's nervous system and can result in death. Most babies with infant botulism, however, do recover. Signs and symptoms of infant botulism include:

• Persistent constipation
• Floppy arms, legs and neck
• Weak cry due to muscle weakness
• Weak sucking and poor feeding
• Tired all the time (lethargy)
• Difficulty breathing

Botulism spores may also be found in low-acid home-canned foods and corn syrup. For this reason, you should avoid feeding these foods to infants.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

• Botulism

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